BOONE, N.C. – The App State softball team and head coach Whitney Jones announced the signing of five standout student-athletes to the 2027-28 squad on Wednesday.
"What an exciting day for App Nation as we officially welcome our 2027 class," Jones said. "This class is filled with phenomenal young women who are a great representation of our program, university and community. The talent this group will bring to our roster will immediately impact and elevate the level of excellence we continue to strive for."
"The addition of three talented pitchers in this recruiting class will make an immediate impact on our pitching staff. I believe this group has the potential to take our bullpen to the next level. I'm equally excited about the depth and versatility we're bringing to the middle infield and outfield. These additions will allow us to continue building on a strong foundation and position our program to reach new heights."
Norah Ranaudo | Infield | Montverde, Fla. | Foundation Academy
Ranaudo comes to Boone from Montverde, Fla., as an infielder boasting a proven defensive and offensive record. Throughout her prep career, she earned three Gold Glove Awards, three All-District honors and two All-State selections. She was also honored with the Heart of a Lion Award for her outstanding leadership and dedication.
"It brings me great joy to welcome Norah and her family to our App family," Jones said. "Norah has all the tools to add immediate value to our program, and I cannot wait to see her confidence, competitiveness and talent take shape in Black and Gold."
"Norah's character and talent are a tremendous fit for our program, and I believe she will make an immediate impact at App State and in the Sun Belt Conference. She brings a fluid, confident, and dominant presence to the shortstop position, while also providing a dynamic offensive skillset with her athleticism, power and ability to impact the game in multiple ways."
Madison Kokoszka | Right-Handed Pitcher/Utility | Suwanee, Ga. | North Gwinnett
Ranked at No. 21 in the class of 2027 by Line Drive Media, Kokoszka enters the program as a highly touted right-handed pitcher and utility player out of Suwanee, Ga. Her high school honors include First Team All-County, First Team All-Region and Second Team All-State recognition. On the national circuit, she has competed at an elite level as a two-time PGF Nationals Runner-Up and a two-time Show Me The Money Champion.
"I am incredibly excited to officially welcome Madi and her family to our App family," Jones said. "She comes to App with a proven track record of success at both the travel ball and high school levels, and I have no doubt those experiences will translate to success at our level."
"We have seen Madi rise to the occasion and shine in some of the biggest moments on the biggest stages. Her confidence, competitive edge and ability to embrace pressure are qualities that I cannot wait to see her bring to our bullpen. I am excited about what lies ahead for Madi in Black and Gold and cannot wait to see all she accomplishes at App."
Alexis Burkholder | Left- Handed Pitcher | Woodstock, Va. | Central
Burkholder joins App State after a stellar high school career in Woodstock, Va., where she earned three varsity letters and was named First Team District Pitcher, First Team Regions Pitcher, and First Team States Pitcher in three consecutive years ('24, '25, '26). Her individual honors include District Player of the Year, Regional Player of the Year and High School Softball Pitcher of the Year. Additionally, she capped off an outstanding 2025 season by helping lead her team to a high school state championship title.
"It is with great pleasure that I officially welcome Lexi and her family to our App family," Jones said. "Lexi will bring tremendous value to our bullpen with her left-handed arsenal, proven success and ability to compete at a high level."
"Coming off a successful junior high school season at Central High School, Lexi is no stranger to the biggest stages or the pressure that comes with competing in high-stakes moments. I cannot wait to see the impact Lexi will make in Black and Gold."
Tara Bell | Outfield | Calgary, Alberta, Canada | Springbank Community
From Calgary, Alberta, Canada Bell brings international and high-level national experience as an outfielder for the Canadian National Team. She is a two-time gold medalist at the U17 Nationals (2025, 2026) and has also earned U19 Nationals Top Outfielder and U19 Nationals Bronze Medalist honors. Her play in elite competition earned her back-to-back accolades as the 2025 Adrenaline Most Valuable Player and the 2026 Adrenaline Offensive Player of the Year.
"Tara exemplifies everything we strive to embody in our program, and I could not be more excited about what she will bring to App State," Jones said. "As a left-handed hitter, she provides tremendous versatility to our offense, combining the ability to impact the game with both power and speed."
"Her experience also extends to the international stage through her involvement with Team Canada and the opportunity to represent her country. That experience will bring tremendous value to our program, both on and off the field. I cannot wait to see all that Tara accomplishes in Black and Gold. We are thrilled to have her and her family as part of our App family."
Annie Van Dyke | Right-Handed Pitcher | Arlington, Va. | Bishop O'Connell
Van Dyke arrives from Arlington, Va., as a dominant right-handed pitcher who set the WCAC record for most strikeouts in a single game after throwing 28 strikeouts over 10.1 innings. Over the course of her prep career, she was recognized with First Team All-Conference, First Team All-State and Extra Innings Softball First Team All-Region selections. She also earned championship success at the highest level, winning back-to-back WCAC Softball Championships and VISAA State Championships in 2024 and 2025.
"It's with great joy to officially welcome Annie and her family to our App family," Jones said. "Annie was a later addition to our class, and I could not be more excited about the opportunity ahead of her. I look forward to watching her confidence grow, her dominance develop and her success take shape here at App."
"Annie is a power pitcher with the ability to keep hitters off balance and change the momentum of a game. I believe she has a tremendous opportunity to become a dominant force in our program as we continue our pursuit of excellence and championships."
The Mountaineers are excited to welcome the class of 2027 to the High Country.
